Convicted Neo-Nazi was Jerusalem Yeshiva Student

Adam Thomas, a British neo-Nazi who was convicted of membership in a banned group, was once a student at a Jerusalem yeshiva. According to the London-based Jewish Chronicle, Thomas studied at the Machon Meir Yeshiva in 2015 as a candidate for the school’s conversion program. At Machon Meir, he was known as “Avi Thomas.”

Thomas, 22, was convicted by an English court this week of membership in the neo-Nazi group “National Action.” During the trial, it was revealed that Thomas had given his son the middle name “Adolf,” after Hitler. It was also revealed that he once stated in a message to a fellow National Action member that “All Jews must be put to death.”

Thomas was ultimately denied his application for conversion on the basis that he was determined to be unstable. “We sensed after a while that he was a real meshugeneh,” a yeshiva official said. “He has a fantastic memory and was passionate about Torah knowledge. He has a very dark side as well, and a pull towards extremism. Once this side came out we knew he was not worthy for giyur studies.”